"Burger Nirvana"

1 December 2006-
B Restaurant and Bar*: 720 Howard Street overlooking Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisco
http://www.boxedfoodscompany.com/boxed/main.html
Cost: $12.00 (angus bacon cheeseburger, fries included)
* Denotes gmeow76's current top reviewed burger

Image Source: blogger's own

"Burger Nirvana" - the feeling or state of being one experiences after eating this burger.

I didn't make this phrase up; (I wish I did) - but someone a lot wiser and more experienced than me used it to describe the burger at B Restaurant and Bar. It just so happens, he's also a coworker, fellow burger enthusiast, and a fellow college colleague.

It was a beautiful Friday afternoon, and four of us at work decide to grab some burgers. I had another place in mind to try, but I saw B Restaurant and Bar, the aluminum metal clad building, perched upon Yerba Buena terrace, with a wide expansive view of downtown, high-rises, the Metreon, and thought: this is heaven. The architectural detailing, and selection of furniture beckons sophistication, the ambiance exudes style. Or maybe vice-versa. In anycase, I'm not an expert when it comes to this high-brow culture, but I do know a "good" burger when I see and taste one.

Due to my delay in leaving the office, and in order to hopefully expedite things, we placed our orders (4 bacon cheeseburgers with Tillmanook Cheddar) as soon as we got our seats. About a half hour into the meal - and still no entrees, we each began to suspect something was odd about the service. I mean, if we all ordered medium-well or well-done burgers I can understand the delay, but we all order medium or medium-rare, this shouldn't take so darn long!

Patience is a virtue and perfection can't be rushed***.

Verdict: Admittedly, I was pretty darn hungry by the time the orders came through. But I was immediately impressed by the presentation. It looked as if each french fry was individually placed and assembled with exacting precision (using serving tongs). It also looked as if each salt rock was individually placed and assembled on each fry with exacting precision (using surgical tweezers). The unique roll was toasted to perfection, definitely over-toasted than your usual average-joe bun, but by no means burnt. The onions were diced and carefully balanced on a plump heirloom tomato. The patty was served on a bed of special sauce (could possibly be honey dijon of the finest quality). The applewood bacon was packed high and dry. The baby gem lettuce looked very happy and fresh.

In other words, the burgers took time to prepare. And in my book, presentation counts. Of course, the burger at B Restaurant and Bar has everything going for it.

Here's where I'm really going to lose it, trying to describe the burger. I honestly don't think there are words in the English language that can adequately describe the experience. It is definitely something that needs to be experienced first hand, preferrably in silence. Here's four guys yapping away, and then for five whole minutes - complete silence while we're each individually savoring each burger morsel; every tender, fresh, burger morsel like it was heaven.

"Burger Nirvana" indeed. And, the place is within a two-block radius of work.

*** That's about as good as my quotes get.